Art Quote by Philip Johnson
“How does an artist know when the line that he just painted is good or not good? That's the catch. De Kooning was the greatest of my contemporaries in art, and he knew when he'd done a good line. When he didn't, he threw it away. I wish I'd thrown away some of mine.”
About This Quote
An artist judges a line by its emotional resonance and visual harmony; discarding work that feels inauthentic is part of the creative process.
In simple terms: Artists assess lines by feeling and harmony, discarding weak ones.
Key Takeaway
Trust intuition and be willing to discard unsatisfying work.
Themes
art
creativity
self‑critique
perfectionism
Mood
thoughtful
inspired
critical
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- painting sessions
- sketchbook reviews
- gallery critiques
- design brainstorming
Key Concepts
aesthetic judgment
creative discipline
growth mindset
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria do you use to evaluate a line?
- When is it okay to keep an imperfect piece?
A Different Perspective
Perfectionism can stall progress.
![“Scientific naturalism is a story that reduces reality to physical particles and impersonal laws, [and] portrays life as a meaningless competition among organisms that exist only to survive and reproduce.” quote by Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bb6/philip-johnson-10392_biology_scientific-naturalism-is-a-story-that-re_284275.jpg)
